SailorStar9: With Chapter 8 uploaded, this is Chapter 9 of this fic. For everyone who put this fic on your favorited and followed lists and/or story alerts, thank you, but remember everyone, a lot of authors (myself included) sustain on readers' reviews.

Pairings: Kai/Ami

Standard BS Disclaimers: Sailor Moon and Cardfight! Vanguard belong to Takeuchi-sensei and Bushiroad respectively. Me, on the other hand, own absolutely nothing, except the pairing and the fic idea.

Chapter 9: Vow of the Blue Flames

"Still, how long does this hall go on?" Ishida complained, Kai leading the way straight to the inner hall.

"At least it's a straight path." Kai reasoned. "We won't get lost. What?" he frowned when the path in front of them was suddenly shut off.

"What the heck is this?" Kamui exclaimed.

"It turned into a dead end." Ishida remarked.

"No." Kai corrected, another path opening for them.

"Another passage opened?" Ishida blinked.

"This is..." Kai hissed.

"Damn it." Ishida cursed. "Are we being lured?"

"Maybe it's to get us lost." Kai guessed.

"Darn it." Ishida spat. "What should we do?"

"We'll have to follow it." Kai replied.

Just then, Miwa, Misaki and Kamui let out a shocked gasp when the trio was teleported elsewhere via a portal circle.

"Darn it." Ishida muttered as he and Kai walked down the opened path. "Is this their idea of a surprise?"

"Maybe." Kai agreed. "Which means that, right now..."

"We keep walking and walking." Ishida complained. "How long does this hallway go on?"

"She's here." Kai stated, as Harmonia's Cosmo dust trailed past them, "I can sense she's just up ahead."

"Again?" Ishida echoed when the pathway in front of them shut. "How many times is this?"

"Don't lose your cool, Ishida." Kai chided. "This is their idea of hospitality. And we're the guests."

"Yeah, you're right." Ishida agreed as another path opened.

"Mates?" Gaillard mused after using the 'Banishment Judgment' on Kamui. "But I can't afford to let them lift the seals right now."

"How long do we gotta walk?" Ishida whined. "And I'm anxious about the others."

"Calm down, Ishida." Kai chided.

"What the heck?" Ishida retorted. "Even though we all got split up, you ain't worried?"

"Knowing them, I'm sure they'll do something." Kai assured. "Have faith. What's wrong?" he looked at the redhead.

"Nothing." Ishida replied. "You're right. Gaillard." he recognized the Gold Paladin user in front of the still sealed ritual circle. "Kai, look."

"Yeah." Kai nodded, his eyes taking in the now blood-red ritual engravings. "Ami..."

"That's far enough." Gaillard stopped them from approaching. "I'd like to say I'm glad you made it, but no one can interfere with the final stages of the ritual. Observe."

"This..." Kai gaped at the still-active barrier.

"No one can enter that." Gaillard assured. "Not as long as the seals are in place."

"Darn it!" Ishida cursed. "Lift the seals!"

"I can't do it myself." Gaillard admitted. "The key is all the members of the Quatre Knights."

"You're saying if we fight and beat all the members, the seals will be lifted." Kai reasoned.

"Correct." Gaillard confirmed. "As for your mates or what-have-you, you two are the only ones left. Even now, three of the seals are working together. In other words, all three of their opponents are banished from the Temple. So now, you two will fight me and be banished from the Temple. Who's first?"

"Ishida, I'll do it." Kai stepped forward.

"What's this?" Ishida looked at the glowing portal under their feet. "This is cowardly."

"Relax, I'm not going to run away." Gaillard assured. "I'm just moving our location so that we don't disturb Harmonia-dono's concentration."

"Kai Toshiki," Gaillard met his rival. "Why did you come here? You heard Aichi's message: he and Harmonia-dono will return once the final ritual is complete."

"True, I did hear it." Kai confirmed. "I'm here to fulfill my duty as her Guardian. One of you Quatre Knights is a traitor; I've already sensed the presence of Harmonia's antithesis the last time we were here."

"One of us is a traitor?" Gaillard echoed. "Impossible. Holy Prominence Prison!"

"Stand up, the Vanguard!"

"Perdition Dragon, Tinder Spear Dracokid." Kai summoned his unit.

"Koronagal Liberator." Gaillard followed suit. "Kagero." he recognized the clan. "You changed your deck."

"Ride, Dragon Monk, Gojo." Kai summoned his unit.

"But the result will be the same." Gaillard declared. "Ride. Fast Chase Liberator, Josephus. Attack."

"Why did Ami choose to undergo such a risky ritual?" Kai asked.

"You're asking that?" Gaillard snapped.

"What do you mean?" Kai frowned.

"Try asking yourself." Gaillard retorted.

"If you don't want to answer me, then I'll beat you and ask her directly." Kai drew a card. "Ride. Perdition Dragon, Whirlwind Dragon. Call." he summoned a second Whirlwind Dragon. "Attack."

"I won't let you interrupt the ritual." Gaillard swore. "I ride Unbending Liberator, Keredic. Call." he summoned two more units. "Attack. Drive trigger check. Heal trigger." he removed one damage point and gave the power to Lawful Trumpeter. "Lawful Trumpeter, attack."

"Lead to destruction with a flaming whirlwind. Ride, Perdition Dragon, Vortex Dragonewt. Call." he summoned two more units. "With Menace Laser's skill, I retire Bruno. Dragonewt's skill. When a rear-guard is retired, it gets +3000 power. Explosive flame of destruction that even burn away hell. Burning Purgatory. Check the drive trigger. I got a heal trigger."

"Damage trigger check." Gaillard drew a card. "Heal trigger."

"Pain Laser." Kai continued his attack.

"Guard." Gaillard defended. "I won't let you lift Harmonia-dono's seals until the time is right."

"Why?" Kai asked. "Why are you going this far?"

"Of course, it's for Harmonia-dono's sake." Gaillard replied. "And for my family's sake, too. My oldest memory... the first thing I can remember is losing everything. My parents, my things, my feelings, everything. I was made a ward of the state and sent to live with other children who had gone through similar circumstances. But I..." he then recalled how one of the orphans had given him a Gold Paladin card. "That was my first family member. Vanguard made my family bigger. Teaching the kids how to play Vanguard was my reason for living. The enjoyment of those fights brought smiles to the faces of those wounded children. And so, new people were added to my family. That was how it felt for me. But that happiness was destroyed in an instant, by that Link Joker incident. Even if you were acting upon Harmonia-dono's instructions, it put the world in danger and you destroyed our happiness. Dragon of blessed light, cast loose the chains with your bluish flames. I ride, Bluish Flame Liberator, Prominence Core! Seek mate! Deal a crushing blow to those who break a vow. Oath Liberator, Aglovale! Legion!"

Outside...

"Aichi..." Ami's voice, hoarse from disuse, croaked.

"Yes?" Aichi stepped out from the pillar he was hiding behind.

"It's almost time." Ami informed, rubbing her right index finger up her left arm to seal off the bloodied wound. "Get prepared."

"Yes." Aichi nodded, pulling out his Blaster Blade Seeker card.

SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review.